Ornamental card



(No Model.)

J. LANEA ORNAMENTALGARD.

No. 279,490. Patented June 12,1883.

I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I l I I I I I I )7C Y WITNESSES .Attorney N. rusas. Pmumnmuw. www n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT ,OEEICE.

JOHN LANE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO L. PRANG a co., or

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

oRNAM ENTAL CARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 279,490, dated June 12, 1883. Application filed February 25, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN LANE, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a newand useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Decorated Cards for Ornamental and other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has referenceto certain classes of printed and otherwise ornamented work,

1o known as birthday NewYear, and Christmas cards, Src.; and its special obj ect is the construction of' an ornamental card designed for the preservation and convenient display of mementos and souvenirs, which have i 5 peculiar interest and value for the possessor, in an appropriate and convenient manner. For this purpose I construct a card in a novel way, which the accompanying` drawings will make intelligible. y

2o 4 Figure l shows the front elevation of such a card. Fig. 2 is aback elevation of the same. 3 is a cross-section on line l l. Fig. 4 is a view, looking from above downward on the edge of' the card. Fig. 5 is the elevation of 2 5 the back of a similar card modified in construction. Fig. 6 is a section on line 33 in Fig. 5, showing its door open. Fig. 7 is a section of the same on line 2 2. f Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sections illustrating modifications in con- 3o struction. Fig. l0 is the front elevation of an attachment desirable in some cases. Fig. 1l is a crosssection of the same on line 4 4. Fig. l2- is a partial elevation, showing a detail of construction on a large scale.

i The front of a card constructed in accordance with my invention is shown in Fig. l. It may be ornamented with any appropriate design drawn or painted by hand, or produced by chromographic or other printing, or by em- 4o bossing, or by a combination of any two or all of these methods. In practice, however, I

use, and much prefer to use, the chromolithographic process for this purpose, it being by far the most effective for decorative ornamentation, and especially in -this case for the pro-` duction of the large number of' designs required to form appropriate and harmonious combinations with the various articles to be exhibited.l Such appropriateness constitutes 5o an important factor in the value of the finished Vciently transparent materials, such as product which my invention contemplates.

A card of' this kind consists iof two or more pieces pasted together, and, as in the figures, the central part, at a, of the front thickness of cardboard is cut out and removed, leaving an aperture of any suitable shape. In this open .1ng, or immediately behind it, as in the drawings, a thin piece of transparent gelatine tissue (marked c in all the iigures,) is securely attached. I prefer clear sheet-gelatine for this 6o purpose, because of' its lightness and elasticity, which greatly facilitate the safe packing, tra-nsportation, and handling ofthe cards when iinished; but I also use other transparenter suflimica, very thin sheets of horn, and in some cases, in which a certain degree of obscurity is wished, fine paper made transparent by means of Varnishes, &c. Immediately behind the gelatine window a' receptacle or pocket, b, is formed, 7o which may be, in most cases, quite shallow. This is best done by introducing a piece, c, between the back and front layers of card-board, e and (l, respectively, with an opening in it, the form of which is indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 by 75 the dotted lines markedf; but this piece may sometimes be omitted and a like pocket left by simply applying the paste so as not to cement the back and front pieces of card-board where said pocket is required. This space must be 8o accessible from the outside ofthe card, and in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4 the fiat chamber Il is open, with this end in view at the upper edge ofthe card, as will be seen distinctly in Fig. 3, showing the card in section, and in Fig. 4, which is 8 5 a plan of' the same, looking down upon the edge. The souvenir or memento, be 'it a lock of hair, a dried flower, anautograph, a manuscript poem, an original sketch, a photograph,

or a fragment of rock from some interesting 9o locality, is slipped in between the transparent gelatine and the back wall, c, of the chamber or pocket. In this position it is visible from the outside, and forms, with the card, a compact and harmonious whole, shown to advantage and handled without risking the loss or injury of the object so preserved. Vhen access is had to the space behind the gelatine from the edge ofthe card, as in Figs.

l, 2, 3, and 4, the opening left for this purpose 10o which can be 955 may be closed after the object is introduced, so as to exclude dust and prevent other `mischance, by simply gumming the edgestogether; or a iap with a tongue to enter a slit may be used for that purpose, in the manner employed to close temporarily certain kinds of envelopes and manila-paper boxes, the construction of which is well known and 'understood To facilitate getting the object (especially if it be of a fragile nature) into proper position, an attachment for souvenir-cards of this description may be provided, which is shown in elevation and cross-section in Figs. 10 and 1l. This consists of a strip of strong paper, g, re-enforced at its upper part with one of card-board,Jz. rIhe object to be preserved is first attached to the paper at the part marked g by cement or otherwise, and the whole attachment, which' fits the pocket in size, is then slipped into place, the strip of card-board 71J 4filling the entrance to the receptacle completely.

The essential features of my invention above set forth may be preserved, notwithstanding certain modifications in detail, some of which I will now describe.

Instead of providing access to the receptacle behind the window of gelatine by means of a slit in the' edge .of the card, as in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, a flap or door, fi, in Figs. 5 and G, may be hinged at the back of the card by cutting the card-board forming the back c partly through one edge of the door and completely through the other three edges, or by means of the paper strip 7c, 'pasted over the joint, when all four edges have been cut through, as in Figs. 5 and G. Between this door and the transparent medium infront the object to be displayed is placed, and when closed the door may be fastened by the little piece of gummed paper Z, or in any other convenient way; or, as in Fig. 8, the door fi, which gives access to the chamber, may be in front, carrying with it the transparent film of gelatine; and, as in the previous case, this door may be hinged by a strip of paper or similar substance at one edge, and fastened by gummed paper or otherwise at the other. Both these modifications are useful when the object to be preserved is delicateand requires careful handling, orwhen a chamber having some depth is desired.

I also con struct souvenir-cards in which both sides ofthe pocket or chamber are provided with transparent walls 4in a manner made intelligible by Fig. 9, which may be regarded as a crosssection of Fig. l, when so modified, on

line l 1, the letters of reference used before indicating corresponding parts. Both sides of the card are then usually ornamented, as of course they may be in all souvenr-cards of this kind. In this section,.rFi0. 9, it will be seen that two pieces of gelatine, a and a', are used to close the openings in both back and front, e and d, while access to thepocket is from the upper edge, as in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4. Cards of this description are employed when both sides of the object to be preserved are of as, rial, and thin veneers of wood, Src., wither lwithout designs printed, painted, or impressed thereon. Fringes, tassels, or cords can also be interest, or when it iswished to exhibit it by transmitted light. l

In some cases, also, an initial, monogram, or other ornament may be printed or drawn upon the transparent substance used in the fabrication of souvenir-cards, so as partially `to obscure the relic preserved behind it; andy on the front or back of all cards of the kind I have invented Aprovision may be made and suitable `space set apart for the insertion of names or dates having reference to the mementos to be preserved therein.

It will be readily understood that there are other ways besides those described of construting the flat pocket or chamber and covering it with the transparent medium on one or both of its sides, and that I therefore do not limit myself to such methods. Nor is it necessary that said receptacle should always be situated vin the middle of the card, as shown in the drawings, for it may be placed at any part of the same, so as best to harmonize withl the general design; and although card-board is vspoken of in the foregoing, other substances may be employed in conjunction therewithfor instance, silk, velvet, or similar mateapplied for purposes of ornament, as they now are on similar manufactured articles; and although the transparent substances used in `carrying out my invention have been hitherto spoken of, and shown in the drawings, as taking the form of flat, thin sheets, yet it is evident that such transparent bodies may be bent or molded so as to assume cylindrical or spherical curves, and still perform their function in the production of cards of the kind herein described, sometimes with positive advantage, due to their increased strength, 85e.

In addition to what has been above set forth, it should also be stated that, although the edges of thesheet of gelatine tissue or other transparent substance made use of in the fabrication of souvenir-cards may be pasted or glued rigidly and firmly to the surface of the card-board employed, still I prefer not to make the attachment in this way, but rather to give the gelatine opportunity for a certain slight amount of free movement. This may be accomplished in various ways, the object being to let the transparent medium and the cardboard expand and contract independently of each other. Atmospheric changes affect differently or in a different degree the size of the gelatine, (or that of any one of the substi- IOO IIO

is shown, on a large scale, by which the transparent material ais attached to the card-board d so as to allow it sufcient independent movement .While it is still held properly in place. One corner only of a is shown7 over which the strip of thin paper m is laid dat, and the ends of this strip are then pasted down7 but only as far as the dotted lines at n. In this Way (th` other corners being held in like manner) the transparent medium is kept dat and in its proper place, While it is free to alter in size or not relatively to the card-board against which it lies. It is plain that this detail of construction admits of modification in many Ways Without affecting the principle involved or the general result. l

Having thusdescribed my invention and the Way in which the same may be carried out, What I claim7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl l. AA chromographic or other ornamental` card provided with a pocket or receptacle accessible from Without, said pocket being cov-l ered on one or both of its sides With a leXiblefor the purpose set forth.

transparent medium forming part of the same, Substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A chromographicor other ornamental card provided with a pocket or receptacle accessible from Without7 said pocket being` covered by a iieXible transparent medium forming part of the same, Which issecurely but not rigidly attached7 whereby the exible transparent medium and the card-body can expand or contract independently of each other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A chromographic or other lornamental card provided with an accessible pocket or cavity covered With a piece of sheet-gelatine or other exible transparent medium forming` part of' the same, and With means Yfor permanently or temporarily closing the opening giving access to said pocket7 substantially as and JOHN LANE.

Witnesses:

THEoDoRE RITTER, MAX GREIBER. 

